Dimension measuring optical sighting device



a- 1959 G. E. KERR 2,897,718

DIMENSION MEASURING OPTICAL SIGHTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 12, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GerraZd E Kerr g- 1959 e. E. KERR 2,897,718

DIMENSION MEASURING OPTICAL sxcmmc DEVICE Filed Dec. 12, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INV erra BY United States Patent DIMENSION MEASURINGOPTICAL SIGHTlNG DEVICE Gerrald E. Kerr, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to theUnited States of America as represented by the United States AtomicEnergy Commission 7 This invention relates to a sighting device.

In the production of metallic uranium from uranium fluoride, the latterand magnesium are heatedto an ele vated temperature in a steel containerto which a special non-metallic lining has been applied. It is veryimportant because of the elevated temperature that the lining have nothin spots that could permit uranium fluoride and magnesium being heatedtherein to damage the steel container. I propose to guard againstundesirable thin spots in the lining by making sure that the lining isof uniform thickness.

I have invented a sighting device to check the uniformity of thicknessof a lining applied to a container.

According to the present invention, I use the concentricity of thejuncture of the sides and the base of the container with the juncture ofthe portions of the lining applied to the sides and the base of thecontainer as an indication of the uniformity of thickness of the lining.The sighting device of the present invention checks the concentricity ofthe images projected by these junctures.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing a linedcontainer and the sighting device of the present invention appliedthereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, with parts broken away and in section, of thesighting device and the lined container to which it is applied; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 showing thesighting device and the upper end of the lined container.

As shown in Fig. 1, a steel container which is tubular and circular, hasa 'lining 11 applied thereto, which lining may be a suitable materialsuch as dolomite, slag, or, limestone. The lining 11 may be applied by aprocess that involves jolting of the material into position between thecontainer 10 and a mandrel, not shown, positioned in the container inspaced relation to the interior thereof. After application of the liner,the container 10 is filled with a charge, not shown, of UF and Mg to aregion near the top, a plug, not shown, of the same material as thelining 11 is placed in the top of the container on the mixture, and asteel cover, not shown, is secured to the container 10 by bolts orscrews, not shown, going through holes 12 formed in a flange 13 on theupper open end of the container 10. Now the container and its contentsare subjected to an elevated temperature such as 1200 F. for a timesuflicient to reduce the UK; to U and to convert the Mg to MgFAfterwards the container cover and the plug are removed. Next thetreated charge is removed fo-n further processing. The lining 11 isscraped out of the container to make room for a new lining to be appliedby a jolting process as described.

It is very important that the lining 11 not have thin spots that mightallow the charge of UF and Mg to damage the steel container 10 duringthe elevated temperature of the reduction process. To guard against thinspots in the lining 11, I have sought to assure that the 2 lining 11 isof uniform thickness. As a check; on the uniformity of thickness of thelining 11, I have looked for concentricity of circular junctures 14 and'15 formed, respectively, between the sides and the base of thecontainer 10 and between the sides and the base of the lining 11 in thecontainer.

To carry out this novel method I make use" of the novel sighting device16, of the present invention, which I shall now describe. This devicecomprises a lens 17, a glass 18 ground on its upper surface 19 uponwhich concentric inner and outer circles 20 and 21. are .inscribed,upper and lower tubular sections 22 and 23 which support the glass 18and lens 17 in adjustable spaced relation to one another, radial legs 24extending outwardly from the tubular section 22, and foot members 25adjustably connected with the outer ends of the legs 24 for conjoin-tlyshifting the lens 17and the ground glass" 18 with respect to thecontainer 10. j p

The lens 17 is attached to the lower side of a rectangular glass 26,which is clamped at its foun corners bef tween two rubber rings 27,which are held by upper and lower annular members 28 and 29. The lowerannular member 29 is secured as by soldering or welding to the lower endof the tubular section 23. The glass 26 is clamped between the rings 27by means of the upper annular member 28 and bolts 30. The heads of thesea the rings 27, and the upper annular member 28 lie within the lower endof the tubular section 23 and above the lower annular member 29.

The ground glass 18 is clamped between two rubber rings 32 which are inturn clamped between upper and lower rings 33 and 34. The lower ring 34is secured as by soldering or welding to the upper end of the tubularsection 2.2. The upper ring 33 is held in place on the associated rubberring 32 by means of threaded members 35, nuts 36 on the members 35, andwashers 37 held by the nuts 36 against the upper ring 33. The threadedmembers 35 are secured to the exterior of the tubular section 22 andextend axially beyond the upper end thereof in spaced relationship toone another.

The inner ends of the legs 24 are secured as by soldering or welding tothe outer surface of the tubular section 23 at its lower end, and to theouter ends of the legs 24 there are secured as by soldering or weldingshort in,- ternally threaded sleeves 38. These sleeves extendedtransversely to the legs 24 in parallelism with the tubular sections 22and 23 and receive threaded shanks 39 of the foot members 25. Each footmember 25 also has an enlarged head 40 provided with a conical surface41 and knurled surface 42. The foot members 25 are adjusted with respectto the sleeves .38 by engagement of the knurled surfaces 42 or by theuse of a screwdriver on screws 4-3 threaded into the ends of the shanks39 of.

the foot members 25. The foot members can be held against movement byjam nuts 44 threaded on the shanks 39 against the ends of the sleeves38.

In operation the sighting device 16 is placed on the container 10 whenempty or unlined, as shown in the drawing, with the heads 40 on thethree foot members 25 partially entering the three openings 12 in thecontainer flange 13. The foot members 25 are individually adjusted andthe spacing between the glass 18 and the lens 17 is varied by angularmovement of the tubular section 22 with respect to the tubular section23 until the image of the circular juncture 14 between the sides andbottom of the can 10 is brought into focus on the upper ground surface19 on the glass 18 and into coincidence with the outer circle 20 on thesurface 19. The

Patented Aug. 4, 9

. jamnuts 44 aretightened"against the sleeves 38 to hold thereto,"theconical'h'eads 40 of the foot members 25' beingsefinthe samerespective openings as before. This must necessarily occur, because thelegs 24 are not equally spaced" from one'another at 120 but have aslightly" different spacing that may be 108144108. The openings" 12 in'the'containcr flange 13 will of course have this isame'opening.

Now: the spacing .between the glass 18 and the'lens 17"is" adjusted? byangular movement of the tubular secti'on"22"with' re'spect'to the.tubular section 23 until the irna'geloffhe circular juncture 15- forrnedbetween the sides 'and'the base of the lining 11 comes into focus on theground surface 19 on the glass 18. If the image of the juncture 15'coincides with the inner circle 21 on the glass 18, it is presumed thatthe thickness of the side's'of'the lining is uniform and there are nothin spots. This may also be presumed of the image if the juncture 15 isconcentric with the inner circle 21, but for a predetermined thicknessof the sides of the lining coincidence should occur.

It'isalso understood that theinvention is not to be limitedby thedetails given herein but that it may be modified within the scope of theappended claims.

What'iselaimed is:

1. A sightingdevice comprisingtwo tubular sections havingtheir innerends in threaded connection with one another, a lens, a rectangularglass secured to the lens, a pair of annular members clampingthe-rectangular glass at the corners, means attaching one annular memberto '4, the outer end of one tubular section, the other annular member;the 'lens," and "therectangular' glass lying -within said outer end ofthe said one tubular section, a ground glass inscribed with twoconcentric circles and being positioned at the outer end of the othertubular section, two rings applied to opposite sides of the ground glassat the periphery thereof, 'oneringfengaging the outer end of the saidother tubular. section, threaded. members fixed to the exterior .of thesaid' other member in circumferentially spaced relationship to oneanother and projecting beyond theioutenend .ofthe said other member,washersapplied to the 'threade'd members against the other ring, andnuts engaging-the-threadedmembers against the washers,. and supporting.meansracting between the said one tubular section and the object uponwhich the sighting 'device -is to operate for conjointly tilting thelens and the ground glass with respect to the object.

2. The sightingdevice specifiedin. claim 1,.,the:supportingmeanscomprising three generally radial legs having their. inner ends attachedto said one tubular section, short threaded sleeves attached to theouter ends ofthe legs sov as to extend transversely thereto, and footmembershavin'g threaded shanks extending through the sleeves in threadedengagement therewith and enlarged conical headsengageable with recessesinanobject upon.

which thesightingdevice :is to operate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS803,435 Saegmuller. Oct.131, 1905 1,662,836 Steinle- Mar. 10, 19282,010,301 Helfer Aug. 6, ,1935 2,402,856. Turrettini June 25', 19462,750,835 Nosco June 19, 1956.

